The interrogation room was dimly lit by a flickering light bulb and was cool from the whistling autumn wing coming through the window.
“Where were you the night of November third Mr. Buckeye?” Detective Brantley requested.
“I was home with my wife eating supper,” responded Thomas.
“Hmm, and what were you having for dinner last night sir?” asked Detective Brantley.
“I don't see how that is relevant detective?” stuttered Thomas.
The detective pulled up a chair as it screeched across the old wooden floor. The planks creek as the detective leans in on the chair.
“I asked you as question son,” stated Detective Brantley with an aggressive tone as he looks Thomas directly in the eyes.
Thomas gulps, “O-ok. We had lasagna with red wine.”
The detective stands and smirks, “Hehe, so you're the romantic type then Mr. Buckeye?”
Thomas starts to sweat at the remark as he watches the detective pull Leah’s phone from the evidence bag, “Excuse me detective? I don't quite understand what you mean?”
The detective slowly stares up at Thomas while opening Marie’s phone records.
“Were you and Miss Finn close Mr. Buckeye?” Detective Brantley asks as he places the phone on the table.
Thomas clears his throat, “Well yes I'd say so, she was my personal assistant after all.”
“And personal you two were indeed Mr. Buckeye.” as he slides the phone to Thomas, showing him as the last person she called at 10:08 pm.
Thomas slaps the phone back towards the detective.
“It was a business call” as he turns his body to stand up.
“Sit down Mr. Buckeye!” shouts Detective Brantley as he slams his fists on the corners of the table, cracking the rusty screws.
Thomas slowly sits back in his seat.
“Face me you lying sack of s***.” demands the detective as his breathing slowly gets deeper and faster.
Thomas turns his body and starts to speak, “I’d like to see my lawyer.”
“Of course you would.” murmurs the detective as he walks towards the one-sided glass signaling for a phone.
Mr. Buckeye’s lawyer was reportedly the best in the county and was not cheap.
“Thomas, how are you doing this chilling fall afternoon?” Mr. Jeffrey gestured as he walked into the now seemingly brighter room with a smile on his face.
“Geovanni Jeffrey figures a rich scumbag like Mr. Buckeye would hire your services.” declaimed Detective Brantley as he sits down.
“Nice to see you too detective, how's the investigation going?” said Mr. Jeffrey in a calm and somewhat sarcastic tone.
“Cut the good guy bullshit act.” rebutted the detective, now furious.
“Alright since you asked so nicely Edward, I'd like to see the evidence you have against my client now though.” pleaded Mr. Jeffrey.
“It's Detective Brantley, and your client over there already proved he talked to her other than business in the lie detector test he took before you arrived.” responded Detective Brantley.
“You took a lie detection test? Why?” asked the lawyer with a slightly frantic tone to his voice.
“I thought I could just hold my breath, slow my heart rate, you know,” replied Thomas.
“Um, ok. Anyways I'm sure that doesn't give you much evide-” started Mr. Jeffrey.
“He was having an affair with the victim Geovanni.” said the detective interrupting Mr. Jeffrey with confidence in his voice.
“Well, I was not informed of this small detail,” stated the lawyer as he glances at Thomas, “that complicates things.”
“That is not true! We talk as friends yes, but nothing more. She was obsessed with me.” defended Thomas. He was now playing all the evidence in his head she might have stalked him.

Twenty-four hours earlier: Thomas was getting ready to close the office of their ten story building on Hanover Square in New York.
“Leah, your sweater is on the sofa of the lounge.” yelled Thomas as he straightens up his red red and pulls on his black suit jacket.
“Oh great, silly me!” yelled Leah as she wraps her scarf around.
The two would always be the last out of the office, Thomas never understood why Leah stayed. She never was typing and he would catch glimpses of her staying at him seductively. Thomas had been happily engaged to Jaclyn since they graduated college and did not want a divorce, and Leah had just escaped from an abusive relationship.
Leah always took the subway home as she did not own a car and Thomas usually waited till she was aboard safely before heading home. Tonight however, Jaclyn was already having a party by herself with a special case of brandy they got from a company get-together a couple months back.
Thomas called, “Honey, I’m closing the office now I should be home in forty minutes.”
Jaclyn stutters, “Thomas James Buckeye our house is two blocks away, why is it taking you forty minutes to get home?”
“Jaclyn, have you been drinking?” asks Thomas startled by how intoxicated his wife sounds. “Maybe I have, maybe not! That’s what happens when the love of my life leaves me heartbroken!” screamed Jaclyn.
“Baby calm down, I'll be home as soon as I can. We’ll talk about what's making you upset. Lay down and drink some water. I love you sweetie.” proclaimed Thomas.
“Mhm sure you do. You are nothing but a scumbag Thomas James Buckeye.” barked Jaclyn. “Honey, what are you talking about? That hurt…” mumbled Thomas.
“You're sleeping with that whore Leah, do you think I'm an idiot!” snapped Jaclyn.
Startled Thomas answers, “No I am not! How could you even think that?”
“Why else would you be home an hour later than your coworkers! Did you forget one lives down the street?” Jaclyn continued to rant.
A storm started to form outside, the sound of thunder crackled yet no lightning in sight, just the pitch black sky and the sound of God’s wrath. Hearing the howling storm through the window Jaclyn suddenly sobered up and worried for her dearing husband.
“Honey, are you ok though? How are the roads?”
“Are you serious?” Thomas starts to speak, but stops, realizing his wife had forgotten the events just a few moments before.
“I'll be fine, lay down I'll be home in ten minutes.” said Thomas.
“Ok baby, I love you see you when you're home.” responded Jaclyn.
Once Thomas hung up the phone several service trucks including an ambulance and a fire truck passed him going towards the train station. Thomas however thought nothing of it as he was focused on the situation with his wife.
“Ok. She forgot why she's upset for now plus she’s wasted. She'll remember everything in the morning.” Thomas kept repeating to himself.
Thomas arrived home and smiled at the sight of his beautiful wife somewhat sobered up and clean standing in the kitchen doorway.
“Hey baby girl.”said Thoma as he walked through the front door.
“Hello sweetie, how was work.” replied Jaclyn smiling as if no argueing had happened just half an hour before.
Thomas choked, “Work? Let’s not talk about work.” blurted Thomas as he grabbed Jaclyn by the hand and hip then started dancing. “Let's talk about you, me, and our future.”
Jaclyn smiles wide, “What about our future babe?”
“Our kids and grandchildren silly.” beamed Thomas.
Jaclyn smirked, slightly devilishly, and turned to grab a glass of red wine for Thomas.
“Cheers to our future my dear and loyal husband.” snicked Jaclyn.
“To my loving wife and good health of us both!” exclaimed Thomas.
It took just five gulps for Thomas to faint from the drug his wife put in the drink. She begins to chant and Thomas blacks out, waking in his bed to the alarm ringing in the present day.

“Why didn't you tell me about Leah’s problem before you took the lie test? Do you know how bad it makes both you and me look now?” Mr. Jeffrey nags on.
“Hey, you're here to get me free, not question me more!” Thomas lashes out.
“Thomas calm down. You were the last person to talk to Leah, making you a prime suspect or witness,” responded Mr. Jeffrey.
“I don't remember anything! I went home to my wife, had supper, then passed out in my bed with my suit on and everything!” whispers Thomas as an officer opens up the interrogation room door.
“Your wife called, your alibi cleared out too. Your neighbors said you arrived home at 8:30 pm and didn't leave the rest of the night.” assured the officer.
“Thank you, officer, will that be all?” said Mr. Jeffrey in a somewhat sarcastic tone.
“Yes, sir.” affirmed the officer as he looks down backing away from the door allowing Thomas and Mr. Jeffrey to leave.
As Thomas and Mr. Jeffrey walk toward the door, Detective Brantley notices a shadow seemingly bolt from behind Thomas to behind Mr. Jeffrey.
“Ed you alright? You look like you've seen a ghost haha.” states the officer from the doorway.
“Yeah, right.” stutters Detective Brantley while releasing a deep breath.
“Have a goodnight Thomas, tell the Misses I said hello,” shouted Mr. Jeffrey while waving to Thomas and sitting in his car.
As Mr. Jeffrey backs his car away, the shadow figure reveals itself in the windshield.
“What the hell?...” grunted Mr. Jeffrey as his hands are forced off the wheel.
The car switches from reverse and begins to drive out of the parking lot to a tree across the street.
“Satanas cor rota. Tu scis nimis.” chants a woman’s voice as the vehicle crashes into the tree. Just as the crash occurs Mr. Jeffrey’s seatbelt is undone, the momentum slamming him through the front windshield. The sound of shattered metal and cracked bones echoes through the street and police station, drawing most of the officers outside including Detective Brantley.
“Oh my God,” Detective Brantley blurts out. “Don't just stand there, help him!” cries out Detective Brantley as he runs towards the now burning vehicle.
Just as Detective Brantly turns back to face the car it explodes sending him flying twenty feet.
The sound of sirens and screaming fills Detective Brantley's ears as he is placed inside an ambulance, just regaining consciousness.
“I….I can't see,” whispers Detective Brantley as he moves his hands to touch his eyes.
“Stop!” yells a paramedic, “You're suffering from third-degree burns on three-quarters of your face.”
Just then the detective hears a woman chant “Caeci eum Satanas. Te potest etiam.”
“Did you hear that?” whimpers Detective Brantley.
“He’s hallucinating, we have to go now!” yells the paramedic as he pounds the back wall signaling the driver to go.
Thomas arrives home to his wife gasping at the television with her hands over her face and tears in her eyes.
“Honey, what's wrong?” asks Thomas as he looks to see the news.
“Our lawyer, Giovanni, he was in an accident. The detective on your case was severely injured while trying to rescue him too.” whimpered Jaclyn, who was now crying on the shoulder of her husband.
“Oh my God,” muttered Thomas as he turned off the television while trying to comfort his wife.
“Thomas, can I tell you something?” requested Jaclyn.
“Anything dear, what is it?” answered Thomas.
“You killed Leah...and I made you do it,” confessed Jaclyn.
“Wh-what are you talking about? I passed out after supper remember? Even still how could you have made me?” questioned Thomas confused.
“I drugged you with a plant from Italy. Then cast a spell on you…” replied Jaclyn.
“What do you mean cast a spell on me?” demanded Thomas slightly agitated.
“Witchcraft,” mumbled Jaclyn sensing her husband was angry with her. “I've studied it since sophomore year of high school.”
“You what? Oh my God, get away, go to hell!” boomed Thomas.
The shadow figure appears behind Jaclyn.
“Jackie, what the hell is that?” gestured Thomas.
Jaclyn turns to see the shadow figure bolt through her to Thomas, making him choke on his own tongue.
“You shall burn for your lust. Choke on your serpent's tongue of lies!” hissed the figure.
“Satan parcet ei. Ego quoque multum diligunt.” chanted Jaclyn, desperately trying to save her husband from the demon.
The demon dissipates, leaving only the smell of sulfur behind.

“What (cough) the hell (cough) was that?!” demanded Thomas while grabbing at his throat. “That….was Satan. I summoned him last week with a spell I found after I thought you started to see Leah. I didn't realize it was part of a bigger ritual though, and now he’s searching for the seven deadly sins in my life.” confessed Jaclyn.
“Why is he searching for the seven deadly sins of your life? Who are the seven deadly sins?” asked Thomas.
“To release the Four Horseman and open the doors of hell. I'm not sure exactly who all are the sins of my life, but I can guess the ones so far. Geovanni Jeffrey represents pride, Edward Brantley represents wrath, and you obviously symbol lust.” explained Jaclyn.
“Oh. Well that leaves four more people about to die still we have to go,” responded Thomas as he goes running out the door.
Jaclyn grabs his arm and starts to radiate with a dark pulse of energy.
“No.” Jaclyn snarled.
Just then a mound of hardened magma erupts from the ground pushing Jaclyn up and knocking Thomas out the house door. Thomas looks in horror at the demonic shrine now forming where his home used to stand, then he turns and runs to town. At a video store, the news is on the display televisions revealing the last victims.
“That's it, the last four,” Thomas says trying to piece their roles together. “So the President represents greed, Mr. Monty from the 25th Street Deli must be gluttony. Stacy Barwell? I took her to a school dance in senior year, so she's obviously envy. So that leaves sloth, but the only other person is Jaclyn’s college track coach?”
Over the next week, the earth’s crust shattered inward, revealing hell and releasing its demons. The Holy ground became the last safe havens. Thomas spent day and night, though both were bright orange and red, trying to find his wife. Finally, he made his way back to his house, now black from ash and surrounded by a ring of fire. Suddenly the ground shifts underneath Thomas’ feet and he is raised to the sight of his beautiful wife in a pure white sundress. “Morning sweetie” whispers Jaclyn as bronze chains bind Thomas’ hands and legs.

“Jaclyn, what are you doing? This is madness, look at the world it’s burning!” shrilled Thomas.
“I know! Isn’t it beautiful! I did it for you, for us Thomas. Now we can be together, alone, forever!” yelled Jaclyn.
“You….you did this for us?” murmured Thomas.
“Yes,” she said as kissing her frightened husband. “All you have to do is release your soul to Lucifer and we can be together forever.”
“What about all these people though? They're all burning and starving,” noted Thomas.
“We will nourish them. We will be king and queen of this wretched world!” proclaimed Jaclyn as screams call out all around.
“If I do this….will we truly be in love and with each other for eternity?” wondered Thomas aloud.
“Yes” replied Jaclyn looking into her husband’s eyes.
“I accept,” announced Thomas. Jaclyn begins to chant as the chains release,
“Tollet eum Satanas. Parati imperata est.” she chants.
Suddenly, Thomas screams in agony, facing away from his wife.
“Thomas?” yells Jaclyn worried.
Thomas stands taking her hand watching the world burn, with a devilish smirk on his face.